1. Field
The aspects of the disclosed embodiments are a quick lock connector assembly for enabling the quick coupling and uncoupling of the elements forming said assembly.
The disclosed embodiments further relates to said process for quick coupling and uncoupling the elements forming said connector assembly.
It is more particularly directed to a connector assembly which contains miniature high-density electrical connectors, each provided with a removable insulative body.
The disclosed embodiments find particular application in severe environments, wherein the components forming the assembly are subjected to big accelerating and centrifugal forces, to vibrations and to shocks, and in general in fields which involve high-speed and high-density data signals processing in very confined spaces.
There is a major need in the aforementioned fields for size reduction of components that have to be integrated into increasingly smaller spaces.
Therefore, components such as high-density rectangular connectors must be dimensioned such as being able to be readily integrated into low-height housings containing electronic systems.
In addition to said need of dimensioning, there is actually a trend towards simplification of the locking and unlocking operations of the connector assembly elements in order to make possible their coupling and uncoupling in increasingly shorter times.
There are numerous embodiments of processes for locking a connector assembly, which generally consist of two rectangular connectors, respectively called receptacle connector and plug connector.
Said two connectors are equipped with electrical or optical contacts, mutually inserted into the insulative body of the receptacle connector and of the plug connector, connected to cables for supplying an electronical device with data signals and/or with power.
The receptacle connector may act as a cable connector, but it is generally fixed on a horizontal or vertical panel. In the case of a panel connection, the contacts are soldered on an electrical board forming part of the electronic circuit.
The receptacle connector has at its both ends a contact-free zone, which enables the introduction of locking means, which are actuated when the complementary mating connector or plug is coupled with the receptacle connector.
These locking means generally consist of two elastic clips folded back on tenons disposed in the contact-free zone at the ends of the plug, or by screws fixed to the ends of the plug and screwed into bores provided at the ends of the receptacle connector.
It is likewise known, for instance from U.S. Pat. No. 5,401,189, that it is possible to use plastic hooks at the ends of a rectangular connector for wiring board, which enable to lock together the elements of the connector assembly. These hooks are brought to the insulative body of a receptacle connector and are provided for locking themselves into an opening in the plug. U.S. Pat. No. 5,401,189 teaches a locking process, but the unlocking of the receptacle connector, namely the release of the receptacle connector hook from the opening of the plug, can only be performed by a special tool.
It is likewise known, for instance from U.S. Pat. No. 5,818,691, that it is possible to use rigid alignment pins working with sliding blocks located on the back side of a portable computer, for docking with a desktop computer.
It was accordingly necessary to develop a locking and unlocking system for a connector assembly, which enables rapid coupling and uncoupling of the elements forming said assembly and without using dedicated tools.